A few things no one told me about breastfeeding…

Yes yes, I went to all the classes. Which were great and everything but when it came to the negatives I kind of felt like they just glided over the top of them. As soon as I fell pregnant I knew I wanted to breastfeed but I had no real idea what I was letting myself in for. I had heard how amazing it was for baby and for mum too. I had heard the bond you get with your little one is a feeling of pure joy. And that was true but what I hadn’t heard was that…….

You must wear a bra CONSTANTLY. Like seriously, never take it off.

You will leak into every top you own and suddenly those wet patches become the norm.

If the latch isn’t correct your nipples can BLEED and BLISTER.

You literally STINK. It’s this sticky mixture of boob sweat and milk. I like to call it Parfum de mum.

You forget the bra pads that soak up your leaking milk are there and then you go to feed your hungry baby whilst enjoying lunch out and BAM milk soaked pad on your plate in public. Ok Maybeeee…just me?

And if you don’t have a breast pad in – well yeah good luck with that.

You can get breast and nipple thrush. THRUSH!?! Seriously…. I had no idea this could happen.

You are hungry most of the time. Actually ALL the time.

You come out of the shower and it’s a massive race against time to get your bra back on without leaking milk on every. surface. possible.

Those things called Breast pumps make you feel like an actual cow. Can they make a silent one already? I swear that noise will haunt me forever.

You can never be too far away from baby or your boobs will physically ache as if they are about to explode. Then when it comes to feeding your baby you will spray their teeeeeny tiny face with your bursting boobs. Poor babies don’t know what hit them!

Your baby may not agree with certain things you eat. Like dairy, chocolate, coffee which means cutting them out…. All the good stuff basically.

That thing called sex also requires a bra at all times, Yep no nipple play here. Unless your partner wants a side of milkshake.

After you have stopped breastfeeding your once super pert breasts/bossoms/boobs (Whatever your preference in name) will no longer sit where they used to. Think south. Veryyy south.

They don’t tell you that it’s ok if you don’t enjoy it, many mums don’t and it certainly doesn’t make you any less of a mother.

I breastfed for 4 months. I loved and hated it all at the same time. It was a battle of recurring thrush, Sore nipples and constant cluster feeding. It got to the point where I was really dreading feeding time. I set 6 months as a goal and I did not want to let myself down by not reaching that point. I put a lot of pressure on myself and It was making me an unhappy mum. I knew something needed to change. I gave Rosie her first formula bottle and felt like a weight had been lifted. Truth is, i wasn’t letting anyone down.

Giving her a bottle did not make me miss the connection. I loved the connection breastfeeding gave me but bottle feeding also gave me that. It was beautiful to see her daddy feeding her too which took some pressure off me.

Breastfeeding is wonderful but it’s not for everyone and that’s ok. So mama’s don’t judge other mums that feed in a different way to you. You have no idea what they have been through.

Motherhood is a journey that we are all trying to navigate as best we can so let’s support each other and know we are raising happy tiny humans. After all, a happy mum means a happy bub.